Man critical after tower block fire

Emergency workers evacuated 150 residents from a block of flats which caught fire in Wandsworth, south London

A man is in a critical condition in hospital following a blaze at a tower block that led to the evacuation of 150 residents.

The man, thought to be aged in his 40s, was rescued after a fire broke out on the ninth floor of the 15-storey building in Wandsworth, south London, at around 12.35am, Scotland Yard said.

He was pulled from the blaze by firefighters, before being taken to hospital suffering from burns and smoke inhalation. The man had also gone into cardiac arrest, according to London Fire Brigade (LFB).

More than 50 firefighters were called to the incident, at Andrew Reed House, in Linstead Way, after a member of the public raised the alarm, a LFB spokeswoman said.

Officers using ladders rescued four adults and a dog from the 10th floor of the 20 by 20 metre tower block, while one was led to safety by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.

Two adults and two children were rescued from the ninth floor, the LFB spokeswoman added.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said the fire was not linked to the recent disorder in the capital.

More than 27 fire vehicles, including eight engines, were scrambled to the scene of the blaze, which started in a five-roomed flat, the LFB said.

It took around two hours for emergency workers to extinguish the blaze, while evacuated residents were moved to a local community centre.

"Eighty per cent damage was caused to the flat where the fire started while 70% damage was done to the external fascia above the ninth floor," the LFB spokeswoman added.